Artificial tree



March 30, 1965 c, BLAKE 3,176,123

ARTIFICIAL TREE Filed June 50, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR CHARLES E. BLAKE ATTORNEYS March 30,1965 3, BLAKE 3,176,123

ART IFI C IAL TREE Filed June 30, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 g INVENTOR 5 CHARLES E. BLAKE ATTORNEY March 30, 1965 Filed June 30. 1961 c. E. BLAKE 3,176,123

ARTIFICIAL TREE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 llw a Show 0', Q LI y,

INVENTOR Mil CHARLES E. BLAKE BY/WMMV ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,176,123 ARTIFICIAL TREE Charles E. Blake, P.0. Box 666, Hearne, Tex. Filed June 30, 1961, Ser. No. 121,009 2 Claims. (Cl. 240-10) This invention relates to an artificial tree and more particularly to the type which is particularly adapted for use as an ornamental Christmas tree.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel artificial tree construction comprised of metal or plastic wire which is so arranged as to simulate a conical tree shape which is highly decorative in appearance and which comprises relatively few parts which may be readily assembled for use or collapsed for shipment or storage.

A further object of the invention is to provide an ornamental tree construction of the above type wherein the wire is coiled to constitute a spiral spring which normally occupies a flat and collapsed position but which may be quickly and readily extended to form a conical tree shape.

Another object is to provide in an artificial tree construction of the above character, a novel arrangement whereby the lower coil of the spiral spring may be readily secured to a flat base and the spring erected into tree shape and supported by a novel supporting rod connected to the base at the center thereof.

Still another object is to provide in a tree construction of the foregoing type, a novel arrangement of parts which may be readily packaged for shipment or storage to constitute a kit capable of manufacture at a relatively low cost.

Other objects and novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and are not to be taken as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being bad for this purpose to the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views;

FIG. 1 is a partial front view of an artificial tree embodying the features of the present invention, a portion being broken away to illustrate a detail of the supporting rod construction;

FIG. 2 is a partial top view of the tree of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view in section of the tree in its collapsed condition suitable for packaging or storage;

FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of the base for the tree;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side view in section illustrating the manner of supporting the tree in assembled position;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the central portion of the base, and

FIG. 7 is a sectional View of one of the lamp assemblies which may be used for illuminating the outer surfaces of the coils forming the tree.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the artificial tree 10 of the present invention is illustrated therein as comprising a spirally wound spring 12 of wire, such as aluminum or plastic and preferably having high light reflecting qualities, which spring in its normal state, is in the form of a flat spiral pancake having a substantially conical portion 14 extending a relatively slight distance upwardly from the center thereof, as best seen in FIG. 3. From this latter condition, the spring 12 may be extended and supported in a manner which will appear more fully hereinafter, to form, the conically shaped tree shape 10 of FIG. 1, wherein the spring is tensioned and the spirally formed conical shape is arranged at a sub- 3,176,123 Patented Mar. 30, 1965- stantially 70 angle with respect to lowermost coil and the base.

In order to support the tree 10 in the position of FIG. 1, a flat base 16 of light-weight material such as aluminum or plastic is provided, the base having a plurality of radially extending stiffening ribs 18 and a plurality of tabs or clips 20 spaced around the periphery thereof which may be bent over the bottom coil 22 of the tree, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 8 in order to confine the spring to the base during assembly and extension of the spring 12.

After securing the spring 12 to the base 16 as just described, it will be understood that the spring is supported on the base in its flat form as shown in FIG. 3. In order to erect the tree, a novel construction is' provided which includes upper and lower tubular support rods 24 and 26 which are connected together with a telescopic connection 28, the lower support rod 26 being provided with a reduced section 30 forming a stop or abutment to limit sliding movement of the upper support rod 24 within the lower support ro'd see FIG. 5. As shown in this latter FIG. 5, the upper rod 24 adjacent its upper end is provided with an enlargement 32 which is larger than the uppermost coil of the conical portion 14, while the lower rod 26 is provided with a collar or bead 34 adjacent its lower end. A slot 36 is formed at the center of the base 16 and communicates with an opening 38 through which the enlargement 32 and bead 34 may pass, the width of the slot being less than the diameter of the bead 34.

With the spring 12 in its flat form and secured to the base 16 by the clips 20, as above described, the tree may be readily erected by assemblying the support rods 24 and 26 and projecting the upper end of the upper rod and the enlargement 32 through the opening 38 to bring the enlargement into engagement with the uppermost coil of the conical portion 14 as shown in FIG. 5. Thereafter, it is only necessary to continue projecting the supports 24 and 26 through the opening 38 to extend the spring into the final tensioned conical shape as shown in FIG. 1, the final step being the projection of the head 34 through the opening 38, the lower end of the lower rod 26 being then moved laterally within the slot 36 so that the bead may contact and be firmly supported by the base as shown in FIG. 5. The tree 10 then occupies its fully extended portion and is firmly supported on the fiat base 16 in a substantially rigid condition. If desired, a suitable ornament 40 may be secured as by means of a sleeve 41 to the top portion 42 of the upper support rod 24.

In order to illuminate the tree 10 to provide a highly efiicient ornamental appearance, a plurality of light assemblies 44 are provided adjacent the bottom of the tree and arranged to project light upwardly at substantially the same angle as the conical angle of the tree. As shown, see FIGS. 1 and 7 each of the assemblies 44 may include a battery 46 of the flashlight type together with bulb 48 and holder 50, the latter being housed in a suitable casing 52 which may be formed integrally with the base 16 or suitably attached thereto at spaced apart points around the periphery thereof, the casings 52 being arranged as shown to direct the light angularly upwardly as above described.

As heretofore set forth, the spring 12 normally occupies the flat spiral pancake form as shown in FIG. 3 so that it may be readily packaged in a container of minimum thickness, along with the base 16, the support rods 24 and 26, the ornament 40 and any other desirable and suitable ornaments which may be suspended from the coils of the tree. Thus the tree of the invention comprises a relatively few parts which may be quickly and efliciently assembled to provide an artificial Christmas tree having a pleasing and ornamental appearance. Since the spiral wire coil 12 is tensioned when finally erected it will be readily understood that the tree will present a substantially rigid construction which is firmly supported by the base. 4

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein with considerable particularity it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. Reference will therefore be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An artificial tree comprising a coil of wire wound in the form of a spiral, the convolutions thereof being spaced apart and arranged in the form of a flat pancake having at the central portion thereof a relatively short upstanding vertical portion of conical form, a flat circular base having a slot formed therein at the central portion thereof communicating with an opening having a'diameter slightly greater than the width of the slot, said base having a plurality of spaced-apart clips at the periphery thereof, 'said clipsbeing bent over the peripheral portion of the outermost convolution of said wire coil to secure the latter to the base, and means to extend the coil upwardly to tension the same into a conical shape, said means comprising a supporting rod adapted to be passed through said opening and provided with an enlargement at its upper end portion engaging said upstanding portion of the coil to extend the coil upwardly, the lower end portion of the supporting rod having an enlarged portion capable of being passed through said opening and of such size to contact the upper'surface of the base when the rodis moved laterally in the slot to support the coil in its extended position.

2. The artificial tree of claim 1 which includes a plurality of electrical lamp holders connected to the base and extending outwardly of the lowermost convolution of the wire coil, and electrical lamp means. housed within each holder, the holders being inclined with respect to the plane of the base to direct light from said lamp means upwardly at an angle substantially equal to the conical angle of the wire coil when extended.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS EARL M. BERGERT, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN ARTIFICIAL TREE COMPRISING A COIL OF WIRE WOUND IN THE FORM OF A SPIRAL, THE CONVOLUTIONS THEREOF BEING SPACED APART AND ARRANGED IN THE FORM OF A FLAT PANCAKE HAVING AT THE CENTRAL PORTION THEREOF A RELATIVELY SHORT UPSTANDING VERTICAL PORTION OF CONICAL FORM, A FLAT CIRCULAR BASE HAVING A SLOT FORMED THEREIN AT THE CENTRAL PORTION THEREOF COMMUNICATING WITH AN OPENING HAVING A DIAMETER SLIGHTLY GREATER THAN THE WIDTH OF THE SLOT, SAID BASE HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPACED-APART CLIPS AT THE PERIPHERY THEREOF, SAID CLIPS BEING BENT OVER THE PERIPHERAL PORTION OF THE OUTERMOST CONVOLUTION OF SAID WIRE COIL TO SECURE THE LATTER TO THE BASE, AND MEANS TO EXTEND THE COIL UPWARDLY TO TENSION THE SAME INTO A CONICAL SHAPE, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A SUPPORTING ROD ADAPTED TO BE PASSED THROUGH SAID OPENING AND PROVIDED WITH AN ENLARGEMENT AT ITS UPPER END PORTION ENGAGING SAID UPSTANDING PORTION OF THE COIL TO EXTEND THE COIL UPWARDLY, THE LOWER END PORTION OF THE SUPPORTING ROD HAVING AN ENLARGED PORTION CAPABLE OF BEING PASSED THROUGH SAID OPENING AND OF SUCH SIZE TO CONTACT THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE BASE WHEN THE ROD IS MOVED LATERALLY IN THE SLOT TO SUPPORT THE COIL IN ITS EXTENDED POSITION.
 2. THE ARTIFICIAL TREE OF CLAIM 1 WHICH INCLUDES A PLURALITY OF ELECTRICAL LAMP HOLDERS CONNECTED TO THE BASE AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY OF THE LOWERMOST CONVOLUTION OF THE WIRE COIL, AND ELECTRICAL LAMP MEANS HOUSED WITHIN EACH HOLDER, THE HOLDERS BEING INCLINED WITH RESPECT TO THE PLANE OF THE BASE TO DIRECT LIGHT FROM SAID LAMP MEANS UPWARDLY AT AN ANGLE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE CONICAL ANGLE OF THE WIRE COIL WHEN EXTENDED. 